Breach of Contact
by LadyStardust3
Summary: Yaoi. Eventual pairing Cloud? Leon is walking in Traverse Town one day when he finds a blonde guy battered half to death in the gutter...
1. One To find sleeping beauty

Hey.  The disclaimer is the normal.  I'll warn that this is very obvious in-ya-face male/male relationships so if you don't like it, then you know where the - (back) button is.  No flaming please.

Breach Of Contract.

To find sleeping beauty. 

Leon blinked down at the huddled figure lying on its side upon the grey slabs of the street.  As usual he was perfectly silent and expressionless; the torment of the person whom he had found did nothing to alter his stoic exterior.  He extended a leg and prodded the man with his foot, rolling the huddled fellow onto his back.  This brought a fresh wince of extreme pain from the other and it was in that instant that Leon first saw his face.  

His eyes were tight closed in agony, his mouth parted lightly and a sheen of sweat coated otherwise flawless skin.  Ruffled blonde hair stuck to his forehead and crowned his head, lying flat on the stone as he rolled back onto his side again, arching his back oddly and pulling his thick red cloak around him, completely shrouding his back.

Leon's expression showed nothing of his opinions upon the matter but inwardly, incessant thoughts had much to say.  The loud ministrations of his conscious mind were silenced by the voice of his companion, with whom he had been walking about the third district, disposing of various heartless when necessary.

"Sq…uh…Leon?"

"…"

"LEON!" Yuffie repeated somewhat louder wondering if the handsome brunette was truly distracted or just ignoring her as usual.

"I'm taking him to the house," Leon stated, not waiting to hear what Yuffie had wanted to say.

"Do you know him?"

Leon shot her a look that clearly stated 'no' and dismissed her as a fool simultaneously.  

"Then what are you doing?  He might be a … thief!  He might want to steal all our stuff and so he's faking being…"

"He's not."  

Leon bent and lifted the young man, throwing him over his shoulder and holding tight onto his legs.  The other did not moan or shiver with pain, he was out cold.

He gave Yuffie a sideward indifferent glance and walked back toward the house at speed, hoping no heartless would intercept them before he could get the injured man back.

It took barely two minutes to get to the small house Leon shared with Yuffie and Aerith.  Once he arrived with Yuffie close behind, he leant to open the door but Aerith had opened it wide from within almost putting him off balance.  Leon walked straight past her without so much as a greeting and turning from the main room, walked up the stairs.  

"Cloud?"  Aerith gasped from behind him.

Leon did not stop until he reached his room and had laid the man down onto his bed.  Only then did the thundering footsteps of the following girls claim his attention and at that only barely.

"Aerith knows him," Yuffie said as she stood in the doorway.

"He's called Cloud," Aerith told him, pushing past Yuffie into the room.  "I knew him when I was younger, before I came to Traverse Town.  He went away before all this happened, I never thought he would end up here, not in such a state…"

"I'll deal with it.  Leave us."

"But Squall," argued Yuffie.  "Aerith knows him, surely she can …  Leaving."

Yuffie and Aerith retreated and closed the door.  There was no arguing with one of Squall's death-glares.

Leon gazed at the man lying zoned out on his bed.  He was lying awkwardly almost as if he had something under his left side.  His blonde hair was tousled, falling over closed eyes.  Leon longed to find out what colour eyes lay behind those eyelids.  Why?  He didn't know.  

He took a few tentative steps toward him, Cloud.  Cloud?  Why such an odd name, almost girlish, natural, soft.  Cloud.  His clothes were encrusted with grime, the white sheets of Leon's bed were already filthy.  Cloud wore a heavy red cape, obscuring most of his face.  

Leon couldn't resist it.  Cloud looked so peaceful and yet so vulnerable.  The dirtied red cloak was flung over his lithe muscular body and he was curled up like a child on his left side.  Leon just had to touch him.

'Why, what's wrong with me?' he thought as he sat on the bed beside the blonde and let his fingers brush Cloud's cheek. 'Why do I care?'

Cloud whimpered and Leon withdrew his hand like lightening.  The blonde tried to roll onto his back but flinched and moaned and curled onto his left side again.  Leon decided to remove Cloud's cloak for surely it was too heavy and dirty to remain on.  It was obstructing his movement, besides the brunette wanted to find out how bad Cloud's injury was and check for any indication as to what caused it.  

Squall Leonhart had the shock of his life when he gently removed the cape and saw what it was hiding.  Cloud had a wing.  Not two wings but one, a single black appendage attached to his left side just right of his shoulder-blade.  His blue shirt had been slashed to allow the wing to protrude.  Leon let the cape drop to the ground as he studied the wing.  Surely it was not the sole cause of Cloud's pain although it was a little tattered in places and had stained the bed-sheets a brownish-red at its very tip.  It was laid limp on the bed just like the rest of the little blonde.  

Leon gently removed all of the metal armour and gloves from Cloud's form and laid them on the ground on top of his cloak.  He then gently lifted Cloud's shirt to survey his back for any more injury.  He found on the right side, a spectacular bruise varying in colour from black to yellow, the worst area situated just above his hip.  The skin was not broken but he had taken quite some battering.  He replaced the shirt trying not to allow his fingers to brush the painful bruise and wondered what to do next.  He couldn't leave the blonde, he didn't want to face the questions of Yuffie and Aerith just yet either.  He laid his hand across Cloud's forehead, he was not too hot or feverish, just slightly sweated from his ordeal.  What had done this to him?  Heartless?  Must have been some strong heartless to cause so much damage, Cloud looked like one who could fight back but there was no sign of his weapon.  Leon stroked away some dirtied strands of blonde hair from where they clung to his forehead reaching towards his closed eyes.  

"What happened to you?" Leon whispered and stood up, pacing up and down the room indecisively before finally opting to lean against the wall beside his bed.

"Mmph.  Searching…" Cloud suddenly spoke some time later, knocking Leon out of his thoughtful trance.

"Wha?  For what?  What are you searching for?" Leon asked, sitting on the bed and looking down at the blonde.  He couldn't tell whether he was awake or sleeping still.  

"Searching…" Cloud whispered.  Leon kicked his shoes off and laid on the bed beside Cloud, who had stretched out a little.  Leon propped himself up on one arm and asked again.

"For what Cloud?" he whispered deeply and touched Cloud's forehead again with the back of one hand.  

"Seph.  My light," Cloud murmured.  

"Seph?"

"Seph.  My light.  My Seph," Cloud spoke in his sleep.

Leon stroked Cloud's face with the very tips of his fingers.  His arm was losing feeling so he laid down completely, looking into the face of the lost boy he had found.  Cloud had to be several years younger than him, the blonde only looked about eighteen.  

"Who is Seph?" he asked, withdrawing his hand from Cloud's face.

"Don't leave me!" Cloud suddenly cried out, his arm flailed and grabbed onto Leon's jacket.  He tensed with eyes squeezed shut and buried his face in Leon's shoulder.  His fingers rhythmically gripped and released Leon's jacket.

Leon couldn't move now, he tentatively stroked Cloud's hair, caked with mud.  Cloud let out a contented sigh and relaxed, draping his right arm over Leon's waist.  Leon realised that he was tired, he had not had time to rest properly for many days.  He knew he shouldn't sleep in case Cloud woke up and panicked.  It was too late, lying on a bed in the arms of a beautiful stranger lulled Squall into a state of waking doze, still playing sleepily with Cloud's hair.  A moment later they were both asleep lying comfortably in each other's arms.  

You wouldn't believe how long it has taken me to write this down!  I thought up the plot in March, wrote down most of the story on lined paper.  Then promptly lost it.  So decided to write something else.  Did so.  Then decided that actually I liked this plot better, scrapped the other one and started this again.  It's now November you know.  November!  

Anyway so part 2 is already written on lined paper, kept somewhere where I will not lose it.  So there shouldn't be too much delay between this chapter and the next.  Can't promise anything for the rest but this is one story I'd like to see through to the end.  Anyhow.

Bye


	2. Two To wake sleeping beauty

Hello again.  I've been busy, busy, busy, recently with juggling college, art, writing fanfics, writing my book Stella Starseeker, looking after my pony Lady and surviving Final Fantasy Eight.  So this chapter had been delayed from immediate write-up to eventual write-up.  But it's done now.  

Disclaimer and warnings still apply.  Go back to chapter one and read them again if it is really that important to you.  

Breach Of Contract

To wake sleeping beauty. 

The room was dark.  Traverse Town's orange lanterns lazily spilled a little light in the window to penetrate this darkness.  This light did very little save from illuminating the gloom enough to recognise its darkness.  It must be late then.  Leon was well and truly held down by Cloud, who had one arm over his waist, the other curled between them, gripping tight onto his leather jacket.  Cloud had also thrown his right leg over Leon's left.  Leon did not want to move but his excuse was that he didn't want to wake up Cloud.  The blonde sleepily moaned and brushed his lips against Leon's shoulder.  

The brunette shivered.  'Must not think it,' he told himself silently.  'I'm only his comfort blanket right now.  He'll probably jump a mile when he wakes up.  It's this 'Seph' he wants, not me.'  With these thoughts still in mind, Leon allowed himself to fall back to sleep.

The pain was overwhelming.  Cerberus, the three-headed guard-dog of the underworld towered over him, snapping each of its three sets of teeth menacingly.  

"Hey hold on, I can help you," said a voice from behind him.

"I can handle it," Cloud grunted in reply, reaching for his buster sword which had fallen beside him, just out of reach.  His fingers closed around the sword and he struggled to his feet.  The great dog reared up and slammed back down to the ground, the resultant shockwave knocked Cloud off his feet and onto his side.  The dog leant one of its heads closer, its fetid breath washed over his senses and it growled.

"What are you trying to do?" screamed the man standing far behind him.  "Commit suicide?"

Cloud pushed up on his arms, breathing heavily in exhaustion.

"Trying to forget," he panted and looked up at the dog determinedly.  He swept the sword over one shoulder and sped towards Cerberus, intending to slash one of its heads.  With a gigantic sweep of its paw, Cerberus swept Cloud aside as if he weighed nothing.  

Hercules gasped and hoisted him over his shoulder but Cloud was dead to this world.

Cloud's mind began to wander through time.  He saw a long blue corridor.  He saw military codes and written assignments.  He stood to attention in a line of men as heavy footsteps thudded towards them.  He longed to turn his head and see who approached but he could not.  It all slowly faded into a vision of silver hair and green eyes.

"Seph!"

Cloud woke up.  He had absolutely no idea where he was.  He was lying against someone, but whom?  Cloud could remember nothing.  He shifted slightly and felt a heavy pain over his right side.

"Nngh."  Where did that wound come from?  He moved his wing slightly.  Still there then.  

There was a slight orange glow to the room, he noticed as he tried to move again without disturbing his injury.  He sat up slightly on his left arm and grimaced at the pain.  Then he opened his eyes again and looked down at the source of the warmth that had encompassed him.  Long brown hair covered most of his face.  He wore a short leather jacket that Cloud realised he was gripping tight onto, a white shirt and a chain with an odd lion pendant. (AN: Whooohooo!  I'm getting one of those by airmail soon.  Rock on, EBay!)  He moved his right arm from the other man's waist and brushed aside some of his brown hair to get a better look at him.  He had pale, perfect skin, with a huge battle scar across his perfect nose.  Cloud stroked his fingers along the scar and sighed.  Did he know this man?  Everything that had happened since he had signed Hades' contract was blurred.  There was a kid with brown hair.  And a talking duck and a talking dog.  Talking duck and talking dog?  He felt that he must have been more concussed than he had thought.  There was nothing else, it was all gone.  He thought back over his old life, his old world, Vincent Valentine (AN: Purrrrrr!….) the man he had left behind.  And there was someone else.  Who did those green eyes belong to?  Cloud couldn't remember.

He brushed his lips over that scar and ran his fingers down his cheek.  He couldn't move away, the pain was becoming even more intense as he sat up to look at the man who had taken him in.  He lay back down again with a sharp sigh of pain.  

Leon stirred and Cloud grunted as the other man's arm touched his injured side.  Leon noticed and moved away, slowly opening his eyes.  As he opened them, he saw another pair of eyes, deep blue and strangely shimmering in the orange gloominess.  

"Where am I?" Cloud asked sleepily, still holding onto the brunette's jacket with one hand.

"Sorry.  You wouldn't let go," said Leon trying to move away.

"Don't leave," Cloud muttered, sounding a little more panicky than he had wanted and refusing to let go of his jacket.  "Do we know each other?"

Leon didn't know how to answer that so he didn't respond at all.

Cloud wondered why he didn't get an answer and observed Leon's gently brooding features with confusion.

"Who are you?" he decided to ask.

"Squall Leonhart," Leon answered and sighed.  "But you must call me Leon."

"Why?"

"Because, Cloud, that's what they call me round here."  Leon answered evasively.

Cloud looked at his frowning expression and smiled a little.  He was prettier asleep than awake! This 'Leon' seemed evasive and tense.  Cloud wondered what had happened to him to make him this way.

"Hey, when did we meet?"  Cloud asked, changing the subject a little.

"Have you lost your memory or something?"

'Gods, is this guy impossible to talk to,' thought Cloud.  

"Yeah.  Its …uh… all gone.  Mostly.  Can you …um…fill me in?  How long have we known each other?"

Leon sighed and frowned.  "This is the first time I've spoken to you."

"Oh … right," Cloud replied uncertainly.  "So what am I doing in your bed?"

"Like I said you wouldn't let go," Leon answered and tried again to move away.  Cloud was still holding tight.  "You still won't let go."

"I'm not finished with you yet.  So how did you know my name?  Did you speak to Hercules?"

"Who?  I found you in a right state lying on the street."

"What street?   Where is this?  What's going on?  How do you …. Ngh!"  The pain became too much again and exhausted, he had to flop back down again beside the mysterious stranger.  

"Agh, damn," Cloud groaned, grasping onto Leon's jacket with both hands and burying his face into his neck.  

"Hey, you need to relax," Leon said gently.  "It's all OK; I'm not trying it on with you.  I'll leave if you'll let go."

"No, don't go please," whispered Cloud breathily against Leon's neck.  

"OK, OK, I'll stay," Leon answered and tentatively began to stroke Cloud's hair.  He had a creeping sense of doing the absolute _wrong _thing for this situation but the little blonde man was so irresistible.  

Cloud whimpered adorably and moulded himself tight against Leon's body with a slight grunt from the pain this caused.  

Leon thought that Cloud was going to sleep again but he was wrong, moments later he felt Cloud's lips cautiously kissing his neck.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"Thanking you," Cloud replied.

"You don't need to do that."

"Nnghh!  I want to…"  Cloud groaned as he tried to move.  

Leon looked down and saw the need in Cloud's eyes.  It was obvious what the blonde wanted, to forget the questions, the uncertainty, the confusion and the pain.  But the blonde had spoken in his sleep, of somebody else, Leon wouldn't take advantage.

"No.  You have someone else."

"Huh?  Who?"

"Seph?"

"Huh?"  Cloud looked genuinely confused.

"You spoke in your dream, Seph."  

Cloud searched his memories.  Seph had the green eyes?  He couldn't remember.  Right now, he didn't think it mattered either.

"No, there's no-one."

Leon looked down at the man he had found.  He knew that this was completely wrong, he knew he shouldn't be doing it.  Even if Cloud wanted him, it was only to help him forget the pain.  

But it was too late.  Leon moved down so he was face to face with Cloud, so the one-winged blonde wouldn't have to move much.  He brought his hand to his face and searched it for any trace of uncertainty.  There wasn't any there, just pure need.  Cloud's eyes fluttered closed at his touch.  

It was too late now, Leon was completely lost.  He moved forward and began to kiss Cloud's lips, slowly and gently, tasting the soil and a slight coppery tang of blood.  But beyond that he tasted something else and it was that something else that made him deepen the kiss crushing Cloud into his arms but carefully avoiding the wound in his side.  

Cloud responded with equal fervour and the blissful feelings took him over.  His confusion and pain were forgotten in the moment.

Meanwhile downstairs, a calm Aerith was trying to fight off a pacing, annoyed Yuffie.  

"Look, he's just getting downright rude.  We need to go and find out exactly what's going on up there," she snapped down at Aerith who was sat patiently on the settee.  

"I'm sure its fine.  Leon knows what he's doing."

"Does he though, picking up some damned stranger."

"Cloud isn't a stranger, he's terribly nice.  I used to know him…"

"Lucky co-incidence," interrupted Yuffie snappily.  "Besides, if you knew him, you should be the one sorting him out.  He didn't even give us a … right that's it.  I'm going up there."

Yuffie turned and stomped her way up the stairs.  Aerith sighed and followed, it would be nice to see how Cloud was doing anyway.

Neither Cloud nor Leon noticed the stomping before it was too late.  Cloud was proving to Leon with his tongue that he really wasn't quite as weak as the brunette had anticipated.  Leon was trying to hold himself back from pouncing on this gorgeous creature.  He didn't want to hurt him, he just wanted to dominate him but that was out of the question.  Cloud pulled away slightly, with a few heavy lingering kisses to Leon's swollen lips.

It was in this moment that Yuffie flung open the door and stamped her way inside.  Aerith stood in the door frame.  Yuffie had quite a shock once her eyes had adjusted to the lack of light.  Squall and Cloud were laid tangled up on the bed both looking well and truly kissed.  Aerith's eyes also widened at the sight.  

Cloud was trying to look across but could barely move.  Leon was scowling at them both with a death-glare even more dangerous than usual.

Yuffie was not intimidated this time though.  She was absolutely livid.  "Explain!" she demanded, glaring at Leon.  

She was answered with silence.  

There we go.  Wahey!  Yuffie interrupted just as it was getting good.  Rahahahaha!!  I wanted this to be across two chapters but it never turned out that way.  Now my plan has to change. *sigh* the next chapter shouldn't be too distant I hope.  However don't hold me to that   ^^  Please review if you will!


	3. Three Solving the Yuffie Dilemma

The main reason for delay on this chapter I have fondly come to recognise as the "Yuffie Dilemma."  The dilemma is this: how exactly are Cloud and Leon going to explain this one.  The solution to our Yuffie Dilemma came with this.  From now on I am co-writing this fic with my sister.  I'll be doing the actual writing but when it comes to storyline etc… she's the thinking monkey.  

So at last … chapter three.  

Breach Of Contract.

3. Solving the Yuffie Dilemma

Cloud stared past the fuming brunette to the beautiful girl dressed in pink who stood in the doorway blushing.  

"AERIS!" he cried.  So that was how Leon must have gotten his name.  Amazing, Aeris here!  Cloud thought she had died, long ago.  But then as the Heartless moved between the worlds, consuming and destroying, time and space was running amok.  It was no surprise that the world order had twisted so much that time was reversed.  He was glad that she was alive, he had always liked her.

Aerith nodded and blushed deeper, her pale cheeks colouring red and Cloud remembered then the compromising position he was still in and blushed to match her.

Leon shuffled away and Cloud let him go, feeling completely embarrassed about being 'caught-in-the-act.'  The shorter brunette girl followed Leon's movement with scowling eyes but Aerith continued to watch Cloud but made no move towards him.

"Um … I was just," Cloud began to mumble by way of explanation.  "I mean, we were … um."

Cloud looked imploringly at Leon but he was too busy putting his shoes back on to notice.  He looked at the short-haired girl and shrugged, blushing uncomfortably as she glared at him.

Leon finished fiddling with his shoes and stood up.  He picked up a weapon that Cloud found particularly odd and made his way towards the door.

Cloud watched him go frantically.  'He isn't going to just leave like this is he?  He can't leave me to sort out this mess!' he thought in a panic.  

"Squall, EXPLAIN!" Yuffie demanded as Leon stepped closer.

Cloud's eyes widened in surprise as Leon simply pushed past her, an empty scowl on his face.  

"My name's Leon," he said as Aerith moved out of his way.  

The thud of his footsteps down the stairs was soon followed by the slam of the front door.

Both of the girls turned to Cloud who still lay on the bed.  He reached one arm up to scratch his hair and sighed in embarrassment.

"Um… is he always like that?" Cloud asked the girls in confusion.

Yuffie wandered over, looking less livid now that Leon had left the building.  She sighed and sat on the bed.

"What damn-right annoying?  Yeah," she smiled at Cloud, the first bit of genuine warmth he had seen from her.  "I'm Yuffie Kirasagi by the way.  I'm sure we're going to get along just fine."

Squall Leonhart stomped his way grumpily across the Third District.  What gave her the right to stick her nose into his personals.  It was none of her business who he kissed.  It was his house anyway, she was just a lodger.  He could totally kick her out … but, he liked her.  She was useful in a tight spot and … nice to be around.  He knew he shouldn't have just walked out like that and left Cloud to explain.  The blonde will probably hate him now.  Shame, he was a marvelous kisser.  Feelings, so complicated! 

He sighed and stopped walking, looking around for some Heartless to dispose of.  The area was clear.  He sighed again, there were always plenty of Heartless when he /wasn't/ looking for them.  Oh well, there's always the pub.  

He turned on his heel and made his solemn way towards the main bar in the Third District.  

Upon entering the building, he noticed with surprise that it was a quiet night.  There was a young couple sat in the corner, a drunkard on the floor and sat at the bar, there was a man with cropped blonde hair, deep in discussion with the barman.

"So I told him if he wants a fucking navigation gummi block he can fucking go program it himself.  Unless he gives me some proper munny I'm not about to waste my damn time screwing around with his system.  Fucking cheap bastards in this dump."

Cid then.  

Squall sat at the bar a few seats away from him, trying to remain inconspicuous.  

Nothing got past Cid.

"Squall you stuck-up bastard, come and sit over here.  Hey, you're looking worse than normal, what's your problem?  Come on then!  Spit it out."

"Vodka.  Double," Leon instructed the barman as his attention was drawn towards him.

The barman poured the drink and pushed it across the bar to Leon who downed it expressionlessly.

Cid clambered over the two stools between them and repeated himself.

"Talking to you is like talking to a brick wall.  I haven't got all fucking day.  What's the problem Squall."

"It's Leon."

"Yeah yeah whatever.  Like I care what your name is," Cid thought back to the first time he had demanded Leon's name.  It wasn't a good memory.  

Squall rolled his eyes and turned away.  "If you don't care what my name is, you don't care what my problem is."

Cid growled angrily.  "Fine, Leon," Cid sighed and took another swig from the metal tankard of ale before him.  "Hey you know, that kid is back in town."

"Sora?" Leon asked gaining some semblance of interest.  

"That's the one.  Says he's now the master of some huge competition or something and is headed off that way to 'master' the next stage.  Don't ask me what the kid's up to, he seems bloody mental if you ask me."

"Hmph," answered Leon.  He liked Sora and thought that trying out the next phase of the tournament at the coliseum would be good for him.

Leon simply paid the barman and left.  Cid watched him go.

'He keeps too many secrets that Squall Leonhart.  Too many fucking secrets,' thought Cid.  Little did he know that Squall wasn't one for mistruths or secrecy nor was he truly a dislikeable person.  He just preferred to keep his thoughts and feelings to himself.

Leon wanted to be alone.  Everyone in Traverse Town seemed to be on speaking terms with him or inclined to attempt to make him some sort of new friend.  They were all in the same position, alone and afraid for their own worlds.  However Traverse Town was comfortable and convenient.  'Perhaps they think I know something they don't,' he mused.  'The fact that I do leads nothing into it, I'm not going to be the cause of widespread panic.  I mean honestly, our futures in the hands of some kid?'  Sora had the same power to turn heads that Leon had, it was attention Leon despised and Sora wallowed in.  They fought for the same cause but they fought with different perspectives.  Leon certainly didn't want to be seen as any sort of leader (A/N: remember his constant moaning along these lines in FF8?)

"Come on!  Hyaaaaa!"

Leon looked up in response to the sudden childish battle cry and set his eyes upon Sora and his animal allies dueling with some heartless.  The spunky, brown haired boy had a new keychain and as a result, his keyblade had a longer reach.  He was fighting with carefree ease and accuracy.  His friends Donald and Goofy backed him up with fire attacks.  

Sora spun round to vanquish the heartless behind him as Donald and Goofy simultaneously cast spells on a lone (and vulnerable) shadow and effectively killing it twice.  

Leon was immediately aware of his cue and leapt in front of the three, destroying the last heartless solider with a wide, powerful sweep of his gunblade.  

 "Oh, hi Leon," Sora said with a smile, swinging his gunblade over his shoulder.  

"New keyblade?" Leon mumbled in reply.

Sora grinned and held it out for Leon to inspect.

"Ah-hyuk yeah!  Came all the way from the jungle," answered Goofy un-necessarily.  

Donald frowned and Sora scratched his head.  "Uh yeah, we kinda crashed."

Leon rolled his eyes and started to walk away.  "Probably for the better you don't tell me any more about it.  Come on, I need to introduce you to someone."

Leon led the way back to the house.  He had decided to introduce Sora and Cloud, so that Cloud could better understand the enormity of the battle they were facing.  

"Yeah so then, I asked him why he wasn't talking and get this, he didn't say anything.  So then I asked him if he could talk.  And he didn't say anything then either.  It wasn't until Cid had the balls to demand what his name was that we even got anything out of him," Yuffie continued in between peals of laughter.  "And then, you wouldn't believe what he said then right."

Cloud smiled and shrugged.  Yuffie could really talk!  She seemed to have calmed down now as well, after she had returned from her short shopping trip.  Also it was great to see Aerith again, the girl was much quieter than her ninja friend but the entire room seemed to brighten in her presence.  

"Okay so Cid goes "Who the fuck are you.  Speak quickly or you're dead."  And Leon goes "None of your business!"" Yuffie almost fell of the bed laughing.  "He didn't even seem to care that Cid was more or less shoving that spear up his nose."

"It was blunt," answered a sudden low voice from through Yuffie's laughter.  "Sora this is Cloud, Cloud, Sora."

Cloud's eyes widened.  The kid and the talking duck and the talking dog!  So it wasn't a hallucination.  Cloud was relieved that he didn't have to fear so much for his sanity any longer.

"Did you find your light?" Cloud asked Sora, recalling the conversation on the steps of the coliseum.  

Sora observed his feet.  "No, not yet."  Kairi was still a million miles away.  "Did you find yours?"

"Did I have one?" Cloud sighed.  "Yes," he looked up at Leon.  "Yes I think I did."

Cloud looked at Leon with wide blue eyes and Leon looked back.  Cloud was still beautiful, it hadn't been a dream.  Now he sat there, uncomfortably leaning away from the wound on his side.  The wing was held in a relaxed position, comfortably folded behind him.  

"You can sit up," Leon observed, breaking the silence and immediately feeling stupid for it.

"Yes, Yuffie lent me some munny and bought a hi-potion.  It healed it a bit.  It's still not perfect though."

'But you are,' thought Leon then closed his eyes and opened them again, looking away.  'Stupid thoughts, why don't you just shut up?'

Cloud gazed at Leon who was staring at the floor intently.  What was wrong with this guy?  He felt so wonderful, earlier, in Cloud's arms as they kissed.  Now he was cold as a snowman.  Was Leon really always like this?  Why?    He had wanted to ask Aerith and Yuffie but the conversation had turned into Yuffie's jokes about Leon's inability to communicate.  The only alternative was to ask Leon himself.  

Aerith stood and took Yuffie's hand.  "I think it would be a good idea to show Sora the gizmo shop now Yuff."

"Huh, what?" Yuffie asked with a slight blush as the other girl took her hand.  "Ah, yeah alright."  She shot a fuming glare at Leon as she was led from the room.  Leon just completely ignored her.  He moved to shut the door after the party of five had left the room.

Cloud sat and watched him thoughtfully.  It wasn't going to happen again was it, Leon hated him now. Was it all just some sort of spur-of-the-moment mistake?

Cloud cleared his throat and caught Leon's attention.  

"Was it just … well I mean … do you regret it now?"

Leon looked towards Cloud.  The blonde looked utterly insecure, shifting the weight from one leg to the other and staring at the floor.

Leon didn't know what to say.  Yes he did regret it.  It was stupid, to randomly molest a beautiful but heavily wounded stranger.  Yes, he regretted it, he had messed with this guy's head.

He hadn't felt like this before, even with Rinoa, (A/N: lol the closest word to Rinoa in the spell-check is Rhino) when he had been too uncomfortable to understand what he had been feeling.  Rinoa was gone now and nothing could change that, she was gone forever.  

Yes, Leon regretted kissing Cloud, what he had done was crazy.  He wanted to walk out, charter the first gummi ship he could find and fly away.  

But yet more than anything, he wanted to take this man into his arms and kiss him again like there would be no dawn to the lost worlds.  So that was what he did.  

There we go, after far too long BoC is updated!  Thanks for all reviews, particularly the nagging ones that demanded I update.  Well!  Someone has to motivate me!  So I would like to dedicate this chapter to that one reviewer who emailed me (not through the reviewing system) and ordered me to kick my arse into gear and complete this chapter!  *tips hat*

Just a final note:  the FF7 players amongst you are probably wondering why I decided that Yuffie doesn't know Cloud.  Well the reason for this is …. This storyline works better that way, honest!


End file.
